[pct-l] Heat Acclimatization and Training

[waynekraft at verizon.net (Wayne Kraft)]

Steve, we're the same age.  Unless something unforseen happens, I won't be doing any hikes longer than about 3 weeks before I retire at 58 (at the earliest).

Your approach makes sense to me.  I concluded long ago that the cross-over from one aerobic activity to another is far from proportional.  For example, I think completing a marathon and completing a 100-mile bike ride are roughly equivalent (the bike event is probably easier, if anything), but I find that when I am in marathon shape I could no more ride a century than I could fly.  A friend who routinely runs four hour marathons walked a marathon in San Diego with his sister.  He commented about how very difficult it was to beat the 7 1/2 hour (I think it was) course closure deadline.  So I agree that running fitness does not equal walking fitness. That said, there is some cross over benefit and any kind of conditioning is better than none.  Actually, I think we agree about hikers arriving at Agua Dulce.  I assume that, by that point, many hikers who are just not ready to go the distance have bagged it by then.  In fact, I should have limited my example to hikers who make it to Agua Dulce and then confidently head north from there after sampling (but not exhausting) the Saufley hospitality. 

I'll keep running and entering races because I like doing it independent of thru-hiking fitness.  But, at least in the final months before starting the hike, the time it would take to marathon train would take too much time away from hiking with a pack.I think you are absolutely correct that "redline" (aerobic threshold) running performance diifers from redlining with a pack on a steep ascent

Bottom line is that, as you said, all this training really just gets you through the first few days after which you launch into unknown territory where you discover things about your body you could not have discovered in training (unless you trained by hiking the PTC the year before).  I think the benefit of hiking at altitude is mainly to demonstrate to yourself that you can do it. It is my understanding that the increase in red blood cells from high altitude training takes about three weeks to complete and disappears rapidly when you return to lower elevations.  Even if you spent the three weeks before the thru-hike jogging around the rim of Mt. Ranier, all the effects of training at altitude would disappear before you got to Forrestor Pass. And you definitely wouldn't be heat acclimated.

More comments, everybody!

Wayne Kraft